An estimated 53 million Americans may have diabetes

The Diabetes 2025 Model for the U.S. projects a continuous and dramatic increase in the diabetes epidemic and makes it possible to estimate the potential effects of society-wide changes in lifestyle and healthcare delivery systems. Predictions for individual states and population subgroups are highlighted in an article published in Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Population Health Management website.* "Diabetes is now a national security issue as it threatens all aspects of our nation's well-being," says Journal Editor-in-Chief David B. Nash, MD, MBA, Dean, Jefferson School of Population Health (Philadelphia, PA). Based on their Diabetes 2025 Model, William Rowley, MD and Clement Bezold, PhD, Institute for Alternative Futures (Alexandria, VA), project that diabetes (mainly type 2 diabetes) will affect 53.1 million Americans by 2025, an increase of 64% from 2010. Their model can also be used to estimate the benefit of changes in lifestyle and specific interventions in reducing the burden of diabetes, according to the article "Creating Public Awareness: State 2025 Diabetes Forecasts."